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Included features: Selected class hotels, rooms with private facilities Service charges and hotel taxes Breakfast daily 5 Dinners as per program 1 Lunch as per program 2 Light Lunches as per program 2 Wine tasting as per program Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach Professional English speaking tour director throughout Sightseeing tours as per itinerary Included entrances when indicated in bold letters: Bled castle, Pletna

boat ride, St. Mary church, Alpine Diary Museum, Cable car to Mt. Vogel,Preserens birth house, the Avsenik museum, Happy Johnny bus, Boatride on the Ljubljanica River, a carriage lojtrnik drive, the Postojnacaves, Lipica stud farm, Maribor Cathedral, Ptuj castle, Blacksmith mu-seum, Floating Mill on the Mura River, straw works, ham making, pot-

tery museum, Rogatec Open-Air Museum, Repnica Luggage handling in hotels (one piece per person in/out)

*Note:Arrival and departure transfers not included. If needed, transfers can be provided on request.

Hotels: BLED: Hotel Park (or similar) LJUBLJANA: Hotel Union/Lev (or similar) PTUJ: Hotel Primus (or similar) SMARJESKE TOPLICE: Hotel Vitarium (or similar)

2011 - homecoming SloveniaItinerary:Day 01, 10 MAY 2011

ARRIVAL TO BLEDUpon arrival to the airport transfer on your own to your hotel at Bled.The rest of the day at leisure. Dinner in your hotel. (D)

Day 02, 11 MAY 2011THE GORENJSKA REGIONBreakfast in hotelToday we explore the beauties of Slovenian Alpine region, the home of theTriglav Mountain and the biggest Slovenian poet France Preseren.Start the day with sightseeing tour of the pearl of the region, Bled. We will takeyou to imposing Bled Castle, perched on a cliff high above the lake. We will takea pletna boat ride to the island in the middle of the lake. Once we reach theisland well visit a small church on the island and ring a whishing bell. Drivingthrough picturesque Alpine valleys we stop to visit the Alpine Diary Museum. It

is located at Stara Fuina in the abandoned village cheese-dairy, first opened in1971 where the cheese masters looked after large cheeses brought down fromthe mountains by the carriers in the summer time. From here we continue withcable car to Mt. Vogel from where you will enjoy the beauty of this Alpine areawith high mountains, valleys and lakes. Light lunch on top of Mt Vogel before wetake the cable car down to the valley. On the way to Begunje we make a stopat Vrba, the birth place of the Slovenian greatest poet France Preseren. We willvisit Preserens birth house, now a museum. After the tour we drive to Begunjeand visit the Avseniks museum that comprehensively represents the greatnessof Avsenik music. You will see the documentary about the beginning of SlavkoAvseniks music career and later his worldwide success. From here, our path willtake us to Radovljica, the smallest medieval city, where we will enjoy dinner,accompanied by the sounds of accordion. Overnight at Bled. (B, L, D)

Day 03, 12 MAY 2011

THE NOTRANJSKA AND THE KARST REGION WITH THE CAPITALBreakfast in hotelThis morning enjoy the beauties of Slovenian capital city of Ljubljana. Enjoythe ride on the Happy Johnny bus. Happy Johnny will take you pastthe Roman wall, through Ljubljanas diplomatic quarter, past the greatestSlovenian architect Joe Pleniks majestic ale cemetery and the new Stoicestadium to Joe Pleniks famous St. Michael Church in the village

Highlights of Slovenia tour10 - 17 May 2011

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Our first stop today in this exciting region will be Prlekija. Prlekija is a beautifularea with a lot of low hills and small valleys where old traditions are still kept.Our first stop will be in the Blacksmith museum where we will learn a little bitabout the craft in blacksmith workshop. Our second stop will be the Pomurjearea. This is the area by the Mura River. We will visit the Floating Mill on theMura River, the Island of Love and cross the Mura River on a ford where wewill taste a typical light dish Burjaska malica on fire toasted brown breadand brandy. From here we continue with our return to traditional crafts andobserve demonstration of straw works, traditional ham making, and visit tra-ditional pottery museum. End the day with delicious dinner at a Tourist farmbefore returning to Ptuj. (B, D)

Day 07, 16 MAY 2011SOUTHEASTERN REGIONBreakfast in hotelToday we start with Rogatec, the largest open air-museum in Slovenia. Themuseum presents the life and work of farmers and craftsmen at the end of the19th and the beginning of the 20th century in the Rogatec area. Fifteen differ-ent relocated or reconstructed buildings and associated functional elementsmake up the museum space separated into three sections. The homestead sec-tion includes the house where poet Joe mit was born, with an enclosed gar-den, an outbuilding with manure pile and an outside toilet, a beehive, pigstiesand a traditional Slovene hayrack (kozolec). The commercial area introduces theloden, originally a market shop with assorted goods, today also functioning as amuseum shop and administrative premises. The third section is the eating area

with a wine cellar functioning as a puenank (a traditional way of allowingfarmers to sell their wines directly) and characterized by planted vines. Afterthe tour we will participate in three ethnological workshops: baking of bread atthe mits House, a dancing workshop and beekeeping workshop. From Rogatecwe travel to Bizeljsko region and visit one of local Repnica where we will tastelocal dishes and wines. Afternoon at leisure to prepare for the farewell dinnerat local zidanica with traditional accordion music. (B, L, D)

Day 08, 17MAY 2011OUTBreakfast in hotelTransfer on own to Ljubljana airport. (B)

of rna Vas. From there continue past Ljubljana Castle, the suburb of Trnovoback to Ljubljana centre. Continue with sightseeing tour on foot and visitthe most significant sights of the old city centre: the picturesque Centralopen-air Market and the Three Bridges, both designed by famous architectJoze Plecnik, the Baroque Town Hall and the Robbas Fountain. To make thetour even more interesting, a boat ride on the Ljubljanica River with soundsof accordion. Lunch at local gostilna in Ljubljana. After lunch journey to theCerknica Lake, an intermittent lake near the town of Cerknica. When full, itis the largest lake in the country. Its surface can reach up to 38 km and thesurface level varies from 546 to 551 meters above sea level. It is also animportant wildlife resort, especially as a nesting place for many bird species.

You will be able to enjoy the sites during your typical local carriage lojtrnikdrive that will take you around the lake. You will also taste local nops andpastry. End the day in Ljubljana. (B, L)

Day 04, 13 MAY 2011THE PRIMORSKA REGIONBreakfast in hotelAfter breakfast drive to nearby Postojna, home of one of the largest cavesin Europe. It has taken millions of years for clear waters of the Pivka River tocreate these 21km of underground labyrinth of passages, caverns and greathalls, decorated with dripstones, translucent curtains and pillars of fascinatingshapes and colors. After an unforgettable underground train ride to the heartof the cave system, experienced guides will accompany you on a walk throughthe subtly lit fairy-tale like underground world. You will glimpse a million years

in one moment, admiring delicate spaghetti-like stalactites, massive pillarsand other geological wonders. From here our trip will take us to Karst wherewe will toast with wine, enjoy the taste of famous Kraski prsut (air dried ham prosciutto) while visiting one of the wine cellars. We continue south. TheLipica Stud Farm is the place where the breeding of the magnificent whitehorses called Lipizzaner started over 400 years ago. Lipizzaner is an indigenousKarst horse. Nowadays, the stud farm is recognized as a cultural monumentand we will walk around the estate the stables, green pastures, the churchand, of course, the marvelous horses of all ages and specializations. Lipizzanerare born dark and turn into noble white beauties when they mature. Thesefast and smart animals are trained in the art of Spanish Riding School and canperform amazing shows. Drive to medieval Piran, the gem of the Sloveniancoast, tucked in between the sea and the mighty town walls. Strong links withVenice in the past are still reflected in the towns present appearance. Thecentral square boasts of eminent historical palaces, the birth house of maestro

Tartini, his monument and his name. We will walk up to the imposing Churchof St. George with its Venetian-like bell tower to admire the view over thewonderful mosaic of roofs, streets and squares with the stunning backdrop ofthe bay. You will have time to discover the hidden corners of the town wanderalong the promenade and taste some savory Mediterranean cuisine. Return toLjubljana in the evening. (B, WT)

Day 05, 14 MAY 2011THE TAJERSKA REGIONBreakfast in hotelThis morning travel to the tajerska region and visit its most significant citiesof Maribor and Ptuj. First stop today will be in the second biggest Sloveniancity, nestled at the foothills of Pohorje. Spontaneous and relaxed, the attrac-tive city of Maribor has a lot to offer. We visit the majestic Gothic Cathedral,the lively Main Square and discover the legends of the Franciscan Church. Wewill make our way over to the picturesque Town Square and visit the romanticLent river bank to see the Old Vine House, with the oldest vine in the world. Tomake the visit complete, we enjoy a light meal and taste the wines in one ofthe renowned wine cellars. Continue on the Drava Plain, surrounded by ther-mal springs, flourishing fields and vineyards, where Ptuj, the oldest Sloveniantown, lies. It was mentioned already as Roman Poetovio in 69 BC. Numerousarchaeological remains tell of those days, while its lovely present appearanceoriginates from the Middle Ages, when Ptuj flourished for the second time. Themedieval castle dominates a panoramic hill above Ptuj - it houses exceptionalcollections, illustrating the traditions and history of the region. Enchanted bythe heritage of the past, we continue down the pretty streets, admiring theProvost Church, the poignant Orpheus Pillar and the flamboyant Town Hall.Enjoy dinner with accordion music at a local Gostilna before ending the dayin Ptuj. (B, WT, D)

Day 06, 15 MAY 2011THE PREKMURJE REGIONBreakfast in hotel.Prekmurje is an undisturbed iridescent plain country where the sun and thewind hold in high esteem the diligence of human hands and the soil repays togood people the gratitude with different goods.

To find out all about these tours,breaks and packages, pleasecontact your local agent:

Price:1,147 $ per person in DBL/TWIN room

1,306 $ per person in SGL room